diff --git a/packages/core/src/model.ts b/packages/core/src/model.ts
index c3adece3cb9..49dc3cd4c8e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/model.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/model.ts
@@ -222,10 +222,7 @@ const layer = Layer.effect(
         const all = Array.from(byProvider.values())
           .flatMap((models) => Array.from(models.values()))
           .sort((left, right) => right.time.released - left.time.released)
-        cached = freeze(
-          { data, all, available: preferBigPickle(all.filter((model) => model.enabled)), byProvider },
-          true,
-        )
+        cached = freeze({ data, all, available: preferFree(all.filter((model) => model.enabled)), byProvider }, true)
         return cached
       }
     })
@@ -290,14 +287,21 @@ const layer = Layer.effect(
 export const node = makeLocationNode({ service: Service, layer, deps: [Provider.node, Bus.node, Location.node] })
 
 // Signed out, only free OpenCode models are enabled. Clients default to the first available model, so keep
-// big-pickle ahead of each new free launch instead of letting release order pick it.
-function preferBigPickle(models: Info[]) {
+// these free models ahead of each new free launch instead of letting release order pick the default.
+const PREFERRED_FREE = [
+  "big-pickle",
+  "deepseek-v4.1-flash-free",
+  "glm-5.3-flash-free",
+  "muse-spark-1.3-contributor-free",
+]
+
+function preferFree(models: Info[]) {
   const freeOnly = models.every(
     (model) => model.providerID === Provider.ID.opencode && !model.cost.some((cost) => cost.input > 0),
   )
-  const pick = freeOnly ? models.find((model) => model.id === "big-pickle") : undefined
-  if (!pick) return models
-  return [pick, ...models.filter((model) => model !== pick)]
+  if (!freeOnly) return models
+  const picks = PREFERRED_FREE.flatMap((id) => models.find((model) => model.id === id) ?? [])
+  return [...picks, ...models.filter((model) => !picks.includes(model))]
 }
 
 export function supportsText(model: Pick<Info, "capabilities">) {
diff --git a/packages/core/test/catalog.test.ts b/packages/core/test/catalog.test.ts
index d723073637e..8eed25ba917 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/catalog.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/catalog.test.ts
@@ -576,16 +576,18 @@ describe("Provider and Model", () => {
       const models = yield* Model.Service
       yield* providers.transform((editor) => {
         editor.update(Provider.ID.opencode, () => {})
-        editor.models.update(Provider.ID.opencode, Model.ID.make("big-pickle"), (model) => {
-          model.time.released = 1000
-        })
-        editor.models.update(Provider.ID.opencode, Model.ID.make("new-free"), (model) => {
-          model.time.released = 2000
-        })
+        ;["muse-spark-1.3-contributor-free", "new-free", "deepseek-v4.1-flash-free", "big-pickle"].forEach(
+          (id, index) =>
+            editor.models.update(Provider.ID.opencode, Model.ID.make(id), (model) => {
+              model.time.released = 4000 - index * 1000
+            }),
+        )
       })
 
       expect((yield* models.available()).map((model) => model.id)).toEqual([
         Model.ID.make("big-pickle"),
+        Model.ID.make("deepseek-v4.1-flash-free"),
+        Model.ID.make("muse-spark-1.3-contributor-free"),
         Model.ID.make("new-free"),
       ])
       expect((yield* models.default())?.id).toBe(Model.ID.make("big-pickle"))